1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an under body structure of an automotive vehicle having a transfer unit for transferring an output of an engine to vehicle wheels, and more particularly to an under body structure of an automotive vehicle having a canister device for taking in a vapor of a fuel in a fuel tank, which is disposed adjacent to the transfer unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known four-wheel drive automotive vehicle includes a transfer unit for transferring an output of an engine to front wheels and rear wheels. A fuel tank of the known four-wheel drive automotive vehicle is generally disposed in back of the transfer unit as shown for example in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application (Jikkai) No. 63-89,829 (1988). Further, the normal automotive vehicle has a canister device for taking in fuel vapor from the fuel tank as shown for example in Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Application (Jikkai) No. 3-33721 (1991). The fuel vapor is trapped temporarily by the canister device and then returned to an intake device of the engine. A canister device with a large capacity has been recently desired for effective prevention of air pollution. Since the canister device needs such a large space in which to be located, it is difficult to dispose the canister device beside the fuel tank.
The canister device may be supported on a vehicle body frame member so that the canister device is disposed in an open space behind the transfer unit noted above. If the canister device is located behind the transfer unit and the vehicle is involved in a collision, the transfer unit may move back and can break the canister device thereby allowing fuel vapor to be released.